Damian Simon died from injuries received in a head on collision on Ohio 229 on August 8, 2011. The truck accident shut down the roadway for several hours while emergency responders tended to the scene.
Damian Simon had been travelling westbound on Ohio 229 when a cement truck driven by Bobby McCloy struck him head-on. According to the Ohio State Highway Patrol, McCloy had been eastbound when the cement truck overturned and slid left of center. Small's Sand and Gravel own the cement truck. Both drivers were trapped in their trucks.
Responders from Eastern Knox County Joint Fire District, College Township Fire Department and Mount Vernon Fire Department responded to the incident. They removed Simon and McCloy from their respective vehicles. Two MedFlight helicopters transported McCloy and Simon to Columbus hospitals.
A spokesperson at the Knox County Highway Department said Simon was an eight-year veteran of their department. Simon had been working with a road patching crew the day of the accident. His truck was empty and he was returning to Small's for a load of asphalt when the crash happened.
Bobby Small said it was McCloy's first day on the job. McCloy has been driving trucks for other companies since 1990.
It is unknown as to how the truck turned over. OSHP is still investigating the accident and alcohol is not considered a factor.
No truck driver is immune from a small error that turns into a large one. The only thing a truck driver can do, regardless of experience, is to drive as carefully as they possibly can. Sometimes, accidents happen in a way that no blame can be laid at the driver's feet. That is why they are called accidents.
If you have been injured or have lost a loved one as a result of another person's negligence, you deserve to be fully compensated for your losses. The simple fact is that you should not be forced to pay the price for another person's careless or reckless actions.